“High Chair, Booster Seat and Hook-on Seat Safety” plus 4 more

High Chair, Booster Seat and Hook-on Seat Safety
Baby Changing Tables - 5 Safety Tips You Should Know
Tips For Taking Care of Baby Teeth
Baby Boy Names - Can the Name You Choose For Your Baby Affect Their Behavior When They Grow Up?
How to Increase Your Baby's IQ by Using Sign Language

High Chair, Booster Seat and Hook-on Seat Safety

Posted: 03 Aug 2009 08:50 PM PDT

Once your child is able to sit up on its own and is starting to eat baby food you can begin sitting them in a high chair at feeding time. High chairs come in many different colors, styles and brands so you can often find one that can match your child's dcor or even the dcor of your own home. As your child gets bigger and older you can also use booster seats and hook-on seats which are great for taking to restaurants, grandparents and on trips.

Safety Tips for using high chairs, boosters and hook-on seats:

High Chairs and Booster Seats

Never leave your baby unattended while they are in a high chair. Curious children will often try to stand up which can cause an unnecessary fall.
Always make sure that the straps that hold your little one in the chair are properly secured and fastened.
Keep all eating trays clean and sterilized.
Always make sure that slide off trays are snapped into their proper position. If they are not the baby could climb or lean forward and fall out. Also, make sure their fingers are out of the way when you attach the trays so you don't smash their little fingers.
Make sure that the chair is not near anything that your child could use as leverage to push off from and tip the high chair backwards. Also make sure it is not near anything that a child could grab or touch that could hurt them like a light switch, receptacle or cooking utensil.

Hook-On Seats

When you use a hook-on seat make sure to hook it to a wooden or metal table and make sure it is very secure. Never attach it to a glass table.
If you use place mats on tables make sure that they do not interfere with the grips that hold the chair to the table securely.

Popular high chair brands for kids are Chicco, Cosco, Eddie Bauer, Evenflo Fisher-Price, Graco, Peg Perego, and Stokke.

Baby Changing Tables - 5 Safety Tips You Should Know

Posted: 03 Aug 2009 07:51 PM PDT

There are quite a number of baby changing tables on the market today. Since changing diapers is an unavoidable task, a changing table is probably one of the most important pieces of furniture new parents should consider for the nursery. Here are five things parents should know about choosing the right baby changing table.

1. The most important factor in choosing a baby changing table is the tables sturdiness. According to the Nemours Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving the health of children, parents should examine the tables construction very carefully, particularly if considering the folding style changing tables. If the table is flimsy without much support, its a very good chance that it will not bare the constant use of changing diapers. For all types of tables it is important to check for sharp edges and any exposed fasteners such as nails or large furniture staples.

2. All tables should be equipped with guardrails and safety straps to keep the baby secure. There are many varieties of changing tables. There are standalone tables as well as combination crib and dresser changing tables. There is a changing table to fit any size room and budget. Whichever is chosen it is important to remember that the baby's safety comes first.

3. The changing tables base should be wide enough to prevent being pulled over. Though changing diapers is not a complicated procedure, it can be a rather hectic one. Having to reach out for a misplaced diaper or any other changing supplies can cause a table to tip over if it is accidentally bumped. Having a wide base can prevent this from happening. Its a good idea to choose a table that has shelves or compartments where supplies can be stored at hands reach.

4. Choose a changing table that is proportionate to your height. A new parent will change thousands of diapers. Experienced parents know what an excruciating task this can be. Make sure that the table is the right height for both parents. The tables width should be wide enough for the baby to fit comfortable. The table top should also include a changing pad to separate the baby from the hard surface of the table.

5. Make sure that the baby furniture changing table you purchase conforms with all regulatory agencies. Recently in California a number of baby furniture manufacturers have been sued for not complying with the state's anti toxic laws. It seems that these manufacturers have been accused of selling products that contain a high level of formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen and can be found in plywood, particle board, and paint. Infants can be at risk by breathing this noxious gas. Check with the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association or the North American Security Standards if you are uncertain.

Baby changing tables can make the task of changing diapers a lot easier. These five tips should make choosing the right changing table more informative. The most important thing to remember when choosing any product for your baby is their safety.

Tips For Taking Care of Baby Teeth

Posted: 03 Aug 2009 06:28 PM PDT

There is a tendency for parents to treat baby teeth as being dispensable since we all know there will be a second set of adult teeth replacing them anyway. However, baby teeth (also known as the deciduous teeth or the primary dentition) are important and are necessary to serve several functions. This is why we need to take care of them and make sure they last until the adult teeth (permanent teeth or secondary dentition) are ready to come through.

The first of the permanent teeth do not appear in the mouth until a child is about 6 years old and the last permanent teeth (not including the wisdom teeth) will appear by about 12-13 years. Therefore a child's primary teeth need to last anywhere between 5-12 years. To ensure that they last, parents need to help children look after their teeth and inculcate good oral hygiene practices from young.

The Functions of Baby Teeth

1. Biting and Chewing

The most obvious function of the primary teeth is obviously for biting and chewing food.

2. Nutrition

Children need to eat a wide variety of food to gain a well-balanced diet.

A child with limited teeth or one who is experiencing discomfort from tooth decay may refuse foods or limit food intake to those that can be consumed easily or with minimum discomfort. Chewing a variety of textures also stimulates the oral environment and exercises the jaw muscles.

The ability to bite and chew also helps to break up food into more easily digestible pieces and allow for better digestion of food. As the food is being broken up by the teeth, it is also mixed with saliva containing enzymes that begin the digestive process. A child that swallows too rapidly without chewing the food adequately will prolong the digestive process.

3. Speech

Teeth are necessary for the articulation of certain sounds. Young children who are still learning how to speak properly need their teeth to help them form words and speak clearly.

4. Development of the Jaw Bones and Facial Muscles

The presence or absence of teeth will affect the way in which the jaw bones and facial muscles develop. The growth of the jaw bones are affected by the facial muscles. Teeth and the chewing function help to exercise the facial muscles and facilitate the development of the jaw bones.

5. Place Holder

The primary teeth are place holders for the permanent teeth. They are intended to hold a space in the jaws until the permanent tooth is ready to erupt. When the permanent tooth is ready, it will push out from under the primary tooth, causing the roots of the primary tooth to break down. Therefore, the primary teeth also serve as a guide for the permanent teeth to erupt into its proper position.
When primary teeth are loss prematurely, the permanent teeth have no guide to follow. Additionally, the adjacent teeth tend to close the gap of the missing tooth, meaning there will be no space for the permanent tooth to erupt into. This can lead to crowding of the permanent teeth.

6. Aesthetics

A child without teeth or with missing teeth may look cute, but she will not agree when the premature loss of her baby teeth leads to the growth of crooked permanent teeth.

Looking after Baby Teeth

From the moment the first baby tooth appears in the mouth, parents need to take the responsibility to begin cleaning it. Initially, all that is necessary will be to take a damp cloth or piece of gauze and to wipe the tooth. Once more teeth begin to appear, you can use finger brushes that are worn over your index finger and use them to brush your baby's teeth.

When your baby is about 18 months to about 2 years old, you can purchase a child toothbrush and begin cleaning your child's teeth at least once a day. Initially, it is not necessary to use fluoridated toothpaste, especially if the drink water in your area is already fluoridated.

Remember, young children have trouble spitting out and usually end up swallowing the toothpaste, fluoride and all. This may expose your child to unnecessarily high levels of fluoride which can lead to fluorosis. Fluorosis, while not harmful, first appears as white spots on the teeth. In more severe cases, it can make the teeth appear brown and mottled. Although it is not harmful to the teeth, it is aesthetically unsightly.

If you are concerned about tooth decay, there is a new range of children's toothpaste with xylitol as an active ingredient. Xylitol also serves to prevent tooth decay.

You can encourage your child to get into the healthy practice of brushing by offering the toothbrush to your child but make sure that you perform at least one brushing for your child a day. Children have poor manual dexterity and will not brush adequately without your help. At most, they will chew on the brush and make a few cursory attempts to swipe the teeth if they are older.

As your child grows older, you can begin to teach him (or her) how to brush by guiding his (or her) hand. Once your child has mastered the art of tooth brushing, you can hand over the responsibility to your child to continue brushing, however, you may still need to keep an eye on your child to ensure the job is done properly. Tooth brushing is a task many children quickly get bored of and try to sneak out of. Some may comply with the task but do a poor job of cleaning.

It is not difficult to look after baby teeth. The challenge lies in teaching your child the process and helping him (or her) develop a healthy, lifetime habit. Knowing how important baby teeth are, it is important to ensure they last. Teaching your child to look after his (or her) primary teeth also sets the stage for healthy oral hygiene habits in future.

Baby Boy Names - Can the Name You Choose For Your Baby Affect Their Behavior When They Grow Up?

Posted: 03 Aug 2009 02:52 PM PDT

The recent trend for unusual baby names has seen some weird and wonderful monikers, especially in the case of celebrity babies. A new study claims that your choice of baby boy's name can result in behavioral problems when they are older. So, if you name your baby Egbert, will he really grow up to be badly behaved?

The study centers on the theory that if your child is called something outlandish then they will feel different to their peers and are more likely to commit an act of delinquency. This could be as a result of repeated teasing which leads to the child becoming bitter and eventually, lashing out. While his may be true, I feel that there are also plenty of other reasons why children pick on each other.

Childrens' names are often a reflection of their parents' personality. Celebrities tend to have huge egos and like to think they are different than everyone else, and that their children are too. Adults often forget that children just want to be liked, accepted and treated like normal.

The competitiveness to come up with wacky names seems to have becomes an international obsession, as life imitates art and celebrity culture filters down to the masses. As a result, maybe those children with nice plain boring and uncontentious names will soon find themselves the odd ones out.

I hope that every parent takes great care when choosing a name for their offspring, knowing that they will be saddled with it for life. Anyone who hates the name that their parents gave them will surely know what I am taking about.

How to Increase Your Baby's IQ by Using Sign Language

Posted: 03 Aug 2009 01:58 PM PDT

There are many products out there on the market that are proven to increase a baby's IQ or make them smarter. What these products fail to mention is that there is no proven research to state that they are beneficial in these areas, it just assumed by the companies that the products work.

As a Speech Language Pathologist I prefer to only use methods with my clients that are research based and proven to be beneficial. With using meaningful gestures with babies, research has been completed that has proven that children who were exposed to using sign at an early age were found later to have higher IQ and test scores when compared to their peers.

In numerous studies completed by Susan W. Goodwyn and Linda P. Acredolo infants were divided into groups where one group received instruction to use sign with their babies and the other group knew nothing about using symbolic gestures to communicate with their children. The results of the study revealed many positive correlations of using meaningful gestures to positively affect babies.

When Ms. Goodwyn and Ms. Acredolo went back later to revisit the study in July of 2000 they were astonished by what they had found. At age eight children who were exposed to sign had a 12 point advantage on their IQ test scores over those who were in the Non-intervention Control Group. The children who were exposed to sign as babies were educationally performing at levels expected for a nine year old child.

With this research proving that using meaningful gestures with your baby is beneficial it is very difficult to argue that a child should not be exposed to sign or that using meaningful gestures will not improve a child's IQ. With many other benefits that sign can create, increasing one's IQ is definitely a great long term benefit.

Linda Acredlo and Susan Goodwyn (2009). "Baby Signs: How to Talk With Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk." Further Research and Readings, 113-117.